I have become that guy

support@txt-services.com

Dear Sam

Thank you for contacting our helpline. We understand that you have
requested a refund for the premium text messages sent to your mobile
phone.

This is to confirm that the requested number 0435203527 has been
unsubscribed from the service and will not receive any further
messages.

When you first subscribed to the service on the internet on 25.04.08
all subscription charges, how to unsubscribe and a helpline number for
further information, were explained on the web-ad.

The following free of charge message was delivered to your phone
explaining the costs and how to unsubscribe:

Free msg: Play this subscription quiz: add. 8 msg/month, 14+ only,
$2.5/msg each way, stop? txt stop to 19993500, $2.50 joining fee.

You initiated the service to win a Macbook Air by entering the pincode
on the online advertisement.

Please be advised that the registered bill payer is ultimately and
wholly responsible for the access, activity and usage of their mobile
phone.

We regret to inform you that we are unable to offer a refund as you
did receive all the necessary information regarding the service.

Yours Sincerely

Kirsten
Customer Services
Txt Services



sam.kault@gmail.com


I did not, repeat not sign up to any such service. I have never received your claimed text message, and have had no communication with your company prior to receiving my phone bill. I did not enter into any competition to win a Mac-book air, in fact I consider such plebeian indulgence in games of chance with negative expectation value to be irrational and somewhat beneath me. I think you misunderstand my position. I am not "requesting" a refund from your company, I am simply demanding that you drop your bogus claim. I have not paid that portion of the telephone bill, I shall never pay that portion of the bill. Since you have refused to withdraw your pernicious and ridiculous allegation, I shall now be in communication with my telephone company instructing them to manually remove those items fraudulently added. If they refuse, I will end my relationship with them, and take my case to the relevant telecommunications ombudsman or regulatory authority. Opportunistic financial predators like your company shall not go meekly unchallenged in today's business environment.
Yours in wearied irritation,
Sam Kault

Update- After speaking to Virgin Mobile, they agreed to grant me a one-time "refund", and warned me that this is the only time they will do so; I suppose this is as far as I'll take things. If Virgin Mobile wants to give a donation to that company, that's their prerogative. However, even though I've won I've still lost. I've had to invest time and energy into these parasites, but more important that that is the abrogation of basic free market commercial principles; that transactions proceed only with the consent of both buyer and seller. I also take issue with the term "refund," as though items on a bill are a divine commandment, reducing my net worth in a cosmic ledger somewhere in an invisible platonic heaven. This is wrong-headed, a bill is a legally challengeable claim for money, nothing more. If I agree with the claim I will pay it, If I do not, I have the option to take the matter to a civil court and make my case, where two and a half thousand years of civil law will back me up. I thanked the woman at Virgin Mobile for this "one time refund," and assured her that if this happens again, I will make precisely the same phone call, and demand that the item on the bill be again withdrawn. I will do the same thing on the third time, and once again on the fourth.

It's not that I believe these companies shouldn't exist, indeed, I believe they fulfill a very valuable social function; they act rather like reverse miner's canaries, when businesses like these are doing well, policymakers know there is something very wrong with society. The size of their revenue correlates well with just how much the education system is failing our kids. I am more than happy with this vital social barometer being funded by a non-government collected tax on abject stupidity. It's only when the economic parasites cross the line and invade polite society that I raise my voice, and very calmly say "Listen vultures, DO NOT FUCK WITH ME."